THE BEECHMONT CREST AUTOMOTIVE LEARNING ZONE

 Automotive Glossary Home

Engine Block

The main body of the engine. The engine block is also called the cylinder block. The engine block provides the main housing of the engine.  

 

The engine block consists of the following elements: 

 

• Cylinder bores:  Machined round holes in the engine block. Pistons fit into the cylinder bores (also called cylinders).

 

• Deck/deck surface: The machined area on top of the engine block around the cylinder bores. The deck must be perfectly flat. The cylinder head is bolted to this surface. The deck also has oil and coolant passages that reach the components of the cylinder head.

 

• Water jackets: Coolant passages through the engine block that carry water and antifreeze to the cylinders.

 

• Core plugs/freeze plugs: Metal plugs on the surface of the engine block. These prevent coolant leakage out of the water jackets. (Some recent engines do not have core plugs.)

 

• Main caps: These hold the crankshaft and bearing inserts in their proper positions. The main caps are bolted to bottom of the engine block.